The tale of Salome, the Judean princess who demanded the head of John the Baptist from her stepfather, King Herod, is well-known, not only for its horrifying events, but for its scandalous Dance of the Seven Veils. The trick to telling the story onstage lies in the portrayal of the woman at its core.

Soprano Patricia Racette will star in LA Opera’s presentation of Sir Peter Hall’s production of “Salome” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles Feb. 18-March 19. Composed by Richard Strauss and based on Oscar Wilde’s play, the opera is directed by David Hall and conducted by James Conlon. The leading cast is rounded out by Tomas Tomasson, Allan Glassman and Issachah Savage.

“She’s terrible,” Racette said of Salome. “I like to try to find the three-dimensionality in any character that I’m playing, but she’s damaged goods. She arguably comes from the world’s most dysfunctional family and has been victimized; there’s a little bit of incest going on. Herod and Herodias are just horrible, greedy, self-centered, narcissistic, terrible people and there’s no way you can be raised in that kind of an atmosphere and not show evidence.”

Racette, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, does not relate to her character’s dark side, although she does understand her passion about what she wants and believes. The biggest problem with Salome is that she is easily portrayed solely as a monster, Racette said.

“We see moments of vulnerability,” Racette said. “Basically she’s a spoiled brat, but there are a lot of layers to that; she’s not just pure evil. I hope that I bring a layered, fleshed-out person, albeit not a very nice person.”

Racette will do the Dance of the Seven Veils

In addition to Salome’s character, the role is very demanding, both vocally and physically. And then there’s the choreography.

“Obviously there’s the seven veils dance, which is a nine-minute piece, and I always insist that I want it to be extremely physical,” Racette said. “I always say to my choreographers, ‘Don’t dumb it down because I’m a singer.’ I always enjoy the physical aspect. It’s kind of a role that demands everything of the artist, so the artist has to be prepared to deliver just that.”

In LA Opera’s “Salome,” there will be real and psychological veils in the dance.

“We’re not being veil-literal, but there are veils and the dance is meant, in my view, to view how this person is finding her own power as a female, as a sexual being, and learning the art of manipulation,” Racette said.

Racette is excited about the show and hopes it will draw in some people who have never been to an opera.

“Audiences will love it for many reasons, one practical reason being that it’s 105 minutes long, so that’s always nice,” she said. “It’s not a superlong evening in the theater, but it packs the punch of a three-and-a-half-hour opera. It’s a very, very powerful, incredible piece.”

In May, Racette will play Roxane in “Cyrano de Bergerac” at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Michelle Mills has been an entertainment and features reporter for the Southern California News Group since 1999. She has interviewed such notables as Weird Al Yankovic, Glen Campbell, Alice Cooper, Debbie Allen, Ernest Borgnine (during an earthquake) and Adam Young (Owl City). She was the 31st Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade Queen reigning 2007-2009. She is a professional belly dancer (swordwork is her specialty) and also studies Polynesian and Tahitian dance.